Tristano Alberti (June 25, 1915 – February 1, 1976) was an Italian sculptor. Inspired by Auguste René Rodin, after attending ornate sculptors class at the Alessandro Volta technical institute in Trieste, he choose the same craftsman-like approach in Early Modern Sculpture: Rodin, Degas, Matisse, Brancusi, Picasso, Gonzalez and later, in late 1940s and early 1950s, developed a fully personal style in figuratively representing human and animal-themed chalks and bronzes, possessing a unique ability to model passion, rage and strong emotions. He is known for his sacred art and monuments, and such sculptures as San Sebastiano, Cat, Nazario Sauro and San Giusto. The latter being yearly and awarded as a copy and special prize to prominent people in Trieste.

While Tristano Alberti's goal remained the search for innovation and originality, he was influenced by Henry Moore and Pablo Picasso, and in contact and friendship with Marcello Mascherini, Ruggero Rovan, Ugo Carà. Tristano Alberti never changed his style and continued his research into human body and physicality along his whole life. His art was included in several exhibitions in Italy and Europe, and in New York and Australia, but he remained in Trieste, living with his wife and muse, Fernanda Polli (“Dina”), until his passing.

Biography

Tristano Alberti was born in Trieste on June 25, 1915 from Bruno Alberti and Giovanna Corrado. His parents will then have two more children, Adriano (1919), also an artist graduated in Cà Foscari (Venice), and Gigliola (1925). The father, who widowed early, will marry again with Luigia Sushmel; they will have no other children.More information on mutual artistic relationship between Adriano and Tristano Alberti is found in: R.Marini, "La porta orientale" 1939 p.77. Reference to Adriano Alberti as a sculptor can be found in C.Martelli, "Dizionario degli artisti", 2001, p.25 and S. Molesi, "Esperienze di vitalistiche tensioni", "Adriano Alberti scultore", Galleria Cartesius 1995.

During his youth, the artist with Alfonso Canciani at Alessandro Volta institute. Alberti does not complete the course of study; he leaves the school and continues at the Istituto Magistrale, although he retains his passion for the figurative arts, which are now intensely part of his life. As a self-taught, he tries to experiences, through sculpture, every type of expressiveness that the raw material, modeled, can create: he uses chalk models and bronze.

At the age of seventeen, he meets Fernanda Polli, his future wife; she is fourteen. From that first meeting, the two will never leave each other. Nicknamed "Dina", Fernanda will be his muse and source of inspiration: in his words, “the emotion that will give life to many of my works”.

In the mid-1930s, Alberti works as an employee at the Fabbrica Macchine di Sant'Andrea in Trieste,The site still exists in Trieste and it is now abandoned. which at the time mainly develops and builds naval engines. Despite the commitment of the work, which takes him a long time, Alberti begins to devote himself, in his spare hours, with even greater intensity to sculpture. It is precisely in these years that he participates in the artistic exhibitions organized in Trieste by Fascist Syndicate, at the Muzio de Tommasini public garden: Alberti has no interest in politics, however Italy is fully under Benito Mussolini regime and freedom of expression is limited by it. In 1937, Alberti made his first personal exhibition always in his hometown, at the Michelazzi salon: the artist also approached the portrait, a genre that from now on he will always love. He realizes, in plaster, a series of heads: 'My mother', 'Gigliola' (his sister), 'My brother' (Adriano), 'a Friar' (for it he is inspired by his uncle).

In the 1940s, in addition to the portrait, Tristano Alberti became passionate about anatomy and modeled a series of personal interpretation nudes, which refer back to the art of Auguste Rodin, Aristide Maillol and Emile-Antoine Bourdelle.

In 1941, during the Second World War, Tristan marries Fernanda Polli. The family lives in Via dei Leo 15; nearby, there is also the artist's studio. In 1944, the Allied bombing of Trieste destroys Alberti's house, works and studio: following the event, which deeply affects him,His dearest friend, the italian artist and painter Romeo Marsi, is killed during the bombing ("Il Piccolo", 1944, article is preserved in the Alberti family archive) the couple moves to via Pacinotti, near the castle and the cathedral of San Giusto. In 1945, at the end of the conflict, Alberti immediately resumes his artistic activity: in that same year he participates in a collective exhibition at the Trieste art gallery, and in 1946, only a year later, at the first exhibition of National League art, in the same gallery. Also in 1946, he moves with his wife to an attic in via Crispi, which will become his new studio.

Year 1948 sees him participating, with three sculptures ('Deposition', 'Saint George fighting the dragon', and the 'Lamentation of Women') in the II Giuliana Sacred Art Exhibition. Subsequently, other appearances of his works will follow at exhibitions on a religious theme, also internationally. In addition to the animal-themed chalks and bronzes, the artist, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, devoted himself to the representation of acrobats and contortionists. During this period he participated in exhibitions and reviews in Italy, and exhibited some circus-themed sculptures in the Pavilion of the Trieste fair and in Vienna at the Austellung der Triestner Künstler. Then, he took part in an exhibition tour in Australia with the bronze 'San Sebastiano'.

In those years, in fact, Alberti enjoyed considerable success by winning prizes and awards, and the number of commissions that he receives is remarkable. He is asked to make the bust of Umberto Felluga, the relief placed at the Fonda Savio kindergarten in Trieste, the portrait of Alcide De Gasperi, the poet's plaster Virgilio Giotti from Trieste, the herm of Giorgio and Guglielmo Reiss Romoli (now at Villaggio del Fanciullo, in Sistiana), the bronze herm of Santorio Santorio (now placed at the entrance of the hospital in Poggioreale del Carso).

In the 1950s, in Alberti's way of understanding art changes: portraits became simpler and closer to modern art. In 1951, a sketch by the artist was chosen for the creation of a bronze statue and a seal for the "Children's Festival Film Award”. Also in the same year, he took part in the VI National Quadrennial of Art in Rome, where he won the sculpture prize: one of the works on display is the 'Cat', and it is thanks to the ‘Cat’ that Alberti began to produce animal sculptures. The artists awarded at the VI Quadrennial in Rome exhibit their works in a traveling exhibition that goes beyond Italian borders, reaching France, and then returns to our country ending in Siena.The international "Exposition des Laureats de la VI.e Quadriennale d'Art de Rome" was held between January and June 1953, moving between several cities in France: Bordeaux (January 10–20), Nantes (January 30 to February 10), Montpellier (February 20–28), Marseille (March 7–20), Mentone (March 28 to April 12), Grenoble (April 15 to 30), Strasbourg (May 6 to 25), Chambéry (May 30 to June 5), Toulouse (June 6–27) and then had its conclusion in Siena, Italy (July to September 1953). Reference to Tristano Alberti can be found in C.H.Rocquet, "L'Italie contemporaine", "Notre Bourdeaux" January 1953; F.J. Temple, "Artistes Italiens Contemporains", "Les Arts" March 1953; J.De Morigiou in "Meridional", March 1953; A.Michot "Bourdeaux, Art Italien", in "Les Arts".

In 1951, Rinaldo Alberti was born, the only son of Tristano and Fernanda.

In 1953, on the occasion of the "II Children's Festival", a competition was organized for the construction of a fountain; Alberti takes part and wins together with the artist Franco Asco. Unfortunately, the fountain, which was supposed to rise in the square in front of the Trieste central railway station, in Piazza della Libertà, will never be built.

In 1954 the sculpture of the 'Leopard', present in the exhibition of the winners at the VI Quadrennial, was purchased by the Revoltella Museum. Also in this year Alberti wins the second prize of the first degree competition for the construction of a sacred monument: the effigy of the ‘Immaculate Conception’ of Alberti is located today in the church in via Capodistria, also in Trieste.

In 1956, Tristano Alberti moves his studio in Via Timeus, and it is precisely here that he realizes a course of sculpture and embossing on metals, organized by the Popular University of Trieste. Subsequently he taught at the State Art Institute of the city.

In 1964 he exhibits is ‘Woman in the Bora’ in New York.

The following year, 1965, Tristano exhibiters in Montevideo (Uruguay). On June 10 of the same year the monument to Nazario Sauro, still located in front of the Maritime Station of Trieste, is revealed to the public. In 1967 he realizes bronze relieves in Tempio di Monte Grisa; 1968 is the year of bust of Silio Valerio, and 1969 the monument to Petrarch, now in the homonymous Trieste high school Liceo Petrarca.

In 1969 he resumes his work on the circus theme; the same year, he opens a new exhibition at the city's Municipal Art Hall: his last personal exhibition will be in 1974, at the Trieste Rectors Gallery in Trieste. In 1976, he was awarded the Cimento d'oro prize of art and culture for the work done in 1975. Shortly after, Tristano Alberti is struck by a sudden illness: he died while leaving his workshop and walking home in Trieste, on February 1, 1976."Stroncato il cuore di Tristano Alberti", in "Il Piccolo", February 3, 1976 A telegram, sent by Italian President, Giovanni Leone, expressed condolence to the family: "Scompare uno sculture sensibile e di alto prestigio che seppe conciliare gli orientamenti dell'arte contemporanea con la compattezza e l'equilibrio del classicismo". ("A sensitive and high-prestige sculptor passes away; was able to reconcile the orientations of contemporary art with the compactness and balance of classicism".

Works

Tristano Alberti underlined his vision of the art world of his time with these words, written into letters to his family; unlike other artists of his time, Alberti remained in fact very close to his family and to his hometown, frequently avoiding contacts with people outside what he considered a ‘restricted circle’. Moreover, the local artistic situation in Trieste immediately after the Second World War and during Allied military administration, which lasted until 1954, was different from that of the other Italian cities: each artist tried to establish his own stylistic independence, and contacts with the outside world were not easy. Most probably this contributed to create Alberti's style: although abstract and informal art was in vogue in the 1950s of the Italian post-war period, Alberti did not break his link with figurative art, already very visible in his previous sculptural portraits, those of the 1930s and 1940s. Many of his works also show an interest in primitive, African and Oceanic art, a reminiscence of the earlier Trieste, an important port and sea commerce location, with routes to remote countries.

From the dialogues with his son Rinaldo, also a sculptor, and his nephew Massimiliano, writer, Alberti's profound conviction emerges of the need for continuous artistic research and individuality, expressing himself through every means available and in any circumstance, without ever stopping. Hence the sacrifice to continue creating every day, despite work and family, sometimes sacrificing everything else. Alberti instinctively modeled, in an emotional, spontaneous way, and arousing emotion in those who observed it, rejecting fashions and patterns and always giving space to imagination and discontinuity.